


The Place Where the Pines Grow Wild

by anarchycox



Series: Anarchycox's 2019 Personal Writing Challenge [10]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Conversations, Friendship, Friendship that could be more, Lost in the Woods, M/M, Post-Captain Marvel (2019), Pre-Relationship, complaining, magic trees, nick fury is a nerd, on the hunt for hawkeye, secret feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-16
Updated: 2019-03-16
Packaged: 2019-11-19 07:00:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18132449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anarchycox/pseuds/anarchycox
Summary: Phil Coulson has been tracking down Hawkeye for SHIELD. Nick Fury has joined him on a search. Only they are now lost in the woods, in the dark, and the rain, and these aren't ordinary woods. Conversations and hints of feelings occur.





	The Place Where the Pines Grow Wild

“Sir.”

“Not now.”

“But sir, I really think -”

“Coulson, I am feeling very in touch with one particular feeling right now, and that feeling is anger. So maybe we be silent right about now.”

“The compass isn’t working.”

“It’s a compass it can’t not work,” Nick replied and finally stopped walking. “You are reading it wrong.”

“I know how to read a compass and generally when the hands stop moving, that means you have a problem. Sir.” Coulson’s sir sounded a lot like fuck you. He moved the compass and the hands did not go anywhere. “It isn’t moving. But the trees are.”

“Of course the trees are moving, Coulson. If you haven’t noticed we’re in a forest in a rain storm!” Nick gestured wildly behind him. “Everything is moving except us and I now have so much water in my ass crack it is making me cranky.”

“Cranky is your S.O.P. sir,” Coulson said. “In theory we were heading north by north east. I marked that tree, in case we accidentally circled. It is on our left now.”

“So we circled,” Nick replied. “It is dark, raining, and neither of us are woodsy people.”

“I am sir, and I am telling you something is wrong.”

Nick frowned at him. “What do you mean, you are the woodsy sort? I know everything about you, you aren’t the woodsy sort.”

“All due respect sir, you don’t know everything about me,” Coulson gave him a faint smile, the one that tended to unsettle people. It didn’t unsettle Nick. But it was right now. He blamed it on the woods.

“Well, I’m not the woodsy sort, and we are getting out of here.” Nick looked around the woods at the trees. “Only moving because of the storm.” He started to walk and Coulson was quiet. He had no idea how long they had been walking. His watch which had survived shrapnel wasn’t working. Just waterlogged was all. And then he noticed a tree walking alongside them. He pulled out his gun. “Freeze!”

“Sir, did you just tell a tree to freeze?” Coulson had that mild voice on, the one that meant he was ready and willing to do whatever was necessary.

“It was moving,” Nick snapped. “These are Ents or some shit.”

“Ents sir?”

“Lord of the fucking Rings shit, come on Coulson.”

“Never read them.”

“But you are a nerd.”

“Told you, sir, you don’t know everything about me.” Coulson looked around them. “There. A light that way.”

“Through the trees. Off that path. So are we just looking to die today then?” Nick glared at him. “That’s how idiots in movies die, Coulson.”

“Sir, you just told a tree to freeze. I think we are safely in the idiot zone now.”

“Shut the fuck, let’s go die then,” Nick said and the rain seemed to get even harder. How this much was making through the canopy of trees he had no idea. Other than god hated them. He could see the light now and it didn’t seem they were getting any closer. It was just always out of reach. But when he turned the trees had moved and blocked their way back. “I hate you, Coulson.”

“I am aware, sir,” Coulson didn’t sound bothered by it. He took off his blazer and unstrapped his gun and put it on the ground. “Drop your weapons.”

“Excuse me?” 

“If we want to reach that light, we have to go in peace.”

“And when it proves to be a fucking trap, just like you know it is what, do you expect will save us, my giant swinging cock?”

“Sir, we’ve decon showered together, you aren’t that impressive.”

“I am demoting you when we get home.”

“For not being impressed by your dick?” Coulson gave him a look.

“No for leading us on this wild goose chase. You were supposed to bring in Hawkeye six months ago! And you bring me along and somehow we end up in fucking Narnia or some shit, because we took a wrong turn and our car died and oh look, still no Hawkeye.”

“We’ll get him sir,” Coulson said as sure as ever. His confidence was sometimes annoying. “Now ditch the gun.”

Anyone else had asked, Nick would have punched them. He put the gun next to Coulson’s and a few of his other weapons as well. They started walking again and son of a bitch if they didn’t reach a cabin within five minutes. “Don’t say a word.”

Coulson did that stupid smile of his again and walked into the cabin. Nick followed him in, and there were lamps lit, and a warm fire. It was cozy. And comforting. “We’re going die,” Nick said. He looked around. “You find any food, do not fucking eat it.”

“Why? I’m hungry.”

Nick closed his eye. “Because this is clearly fae shit and I don’t want you being sucked into the world of fairy alright?” 

“Nice to know you care.”

“Of course I care, Coulson. I’m fucking Care Bear, I care so much.”

“You shoot friendship and love out of your stomach?” 

“No, I shoot it out of my -” 

“We should strip down, sir.”

“Why?” Nick stared at him. 

“Cold and very wet clothes? We can put them by the fire to dry.” Coulson was already taking everything off, being as practical as ever. 

Nick hurried to the bathroom and found them some towels. He came back as Coulson was just about to pull off his boxers. He threw a towel at him. “There, wrap yourself in that.” He turned his back and stripped as well and wrapped the towel around himself. He was sad. “My jacket’s never going to be the same.”

“It’s an army field jacket, sir. It will dry. It was designed to take a beating.”

Nick held it up and showed the giant rip in the back of the shoulder. “It’s dead. Like how we will be before morning.”

“We’re not going to die, sir, just a cabin in the woods.” 

“Stop giving me your shit disturber smile,” Nick complained. “I know all your stupid smiles and what they mean.”

“Just like you know everything about me?”

“I know enough,” Nick replied. “Know more than you do about me.”

“Yes, sir, you are very mysterious,” Coulson replied. Nick made a face at him and they sat on the ground in front of the fire. “You know, always thought you could pull off a long leather coat. It would help that are you a hero or villain vibe you like to pretend you have.”

“I’m morally grey, and that’s just a fact.”

“The job makes your morally grey, but you are as heroic as they come. Sir.”

“You haven’t said anything nice to me in two years.” Nick was a bit at a loss. He looked at Coulson. The job was aging them both fast. Coulson had lost the innocence in his eyes, and gained some lines. Nick had started shaving his head, annoyed by the hair line that kept creeping back. Chasing down Hawkeye the last six months had aged them both 5 years.

“We’ve been pretty busy,” Coulson replied. “Are you sure we can’t eat?”

“No, not losing you to the fairy court.”

“Fairies aren’t real,” Coulson replied.

“Moving trees apparently are. You want to risk it?”

“Maybe we would just get stuck in this cabin forever,” Coulson almost sounded wistful.  “There would always be food, because magic right? Books would appear, board games. And we’d just live here. In this cabin, until the end of the world.”

“That sounds horrific.”

“Being stuck forever with me?”

Nick wondered why Coulson sounded upset. “No, I’m stuck with you until we die, I’m happy with that. I’m saying there is not t.v. I want my t.v. Coulson.”

“Yes, how would you live without watching Friends?”

“I do not watch Friends.”

“We’ve shared hotel rooms, sir.”

“Fuck you, I had insomnia.”

“You laughed.”

“You have never once heard me laugh.” Nick threw his jacket at Coulson. 

“My mistake.” Coulson stared at the fire. “The being with me would be fine though?”

“Of course it would,” Nick thought this was obvious. “You are the only person on this stupid ass planet I trust.”

“Because Carol is off somewhere blowing up shit.”

“Exactly. In the universe her. On this planet you.”

“Are you in love with her?”

“Ew,” Nick made a face. “Where’d that come from?”

“You speak about her differently than you do other people, sir,” Coulson shrugged. “From what you have told me, it’d be easy to love her.”

“I’m in awe of her,” Nick said after a moment. “And I like her. But that isn’t a woman you love. Or at least that isn’t a woman I could love.”

“Why because she could kick your ass?”

“No, I love someone, it will be because they can kick my ass,” Nick laughed. “I couldn’t love her because she doesn’t remember motown music.”

“My boyfriend’s back and you’re gonna be in trouble,” Coulson sang softly and slightly off key.

“You sound like shit.”

“You don’t sound great, sir.”

“Will you stop calling me sir, we’re buck ass naked in a magic cabin in creepy fucking woods. A little unprofessional is fine.”

“Fury, you don’t have the best voice either.”

Nick threw his shirt at Coulson that time. He looked around the cabin. “The quiet out here wouldn’t get to you?”

“A little quiet would be nice. And beside, you never shut up. It’d be enough noise.”

“Oh, really?” Nick glared at him. “Then here you go, some quiet.” He was determined not to talk, just to prove a point to Coulson. They sat there and the bastard really did look happy to be in the cabin. In the quiet. What the fuck was wrong with the man.

“How can you deal with the lack of noise?”

Coulson snickered and Nick threw his socks at the man. “You know I am not giving these back? Spoils of war.”

“What war?”

“A silent one, I’m having.”

Nick moved closer, concerned. “Coulson, if you have a problem, you can tell me. I’ll help you no matter what.”

“Your help would be helpful.” 

“What is it? Who do you need killed?”

Coulson laughed but it wasn’t a happy laugh. Almost regretful. “You’ve been promoted how many times in the last two years?”

“Four.”

“And you’ve brought me along with you, even though there have been complaints. Questions.”

Nick shook his head. “I’m not doing this without you. I can’t do this without you.”

“You’ve heard what people say.”

“Nope, had surgery. The bullshit registry in my ears was removed. I don’t have time for that crap. You are a good agent, and you we’re going to make the world better.”

“We’re a secret government agency, Fury. And as you climb the ranks, that morally grey is going to chip away at the hero side of you. I just don’t want you to lose the hero side. You have everyone terrified of you, and that can be handy. But, just figure you should have someone who isn’t. Sir.”

“You want me to help you, help me not be an asshole?”

“No, you are an asshole, we aren’t changing that. I don’t have a magic wand, except my giant swinging cock,” Coulson said.

Nick had to laugh. “Been in those same decon showers, Phil.”

“I just don’t want you to forget, you are a hero too. Just like her.”

“Phil, that was downright sweet,” Nick said sarcastically to hide how much he meant it. He reached out and squeezed Coulson’s shoulder. “You are my other good eye.” Those words came out quiet, true.

They listened to the rain outside, and the fire in front of them. The quiet didn’t bother Nick like it would otherwise. Phil reached to the couch and pulled down the stack of quilts that appeared on top of it and covered them both. “Think maybe the universe decided we needed a bit of a break.”

“Could have done it in a less fucked up way.”

“We’re pretty fucked up men, Fury.”

“Matched set, you and I.” Nick yawned and leaned against the couch.

“I’ll take first watch.”

“I’m fine.”

“You aren’t used to nature hikes, Fury, get some rest. I have you safe.”

Nick adjusted the quilt around him. “Like I don’t know that,” he muttered and slowly drifted off.

“Spending forever beside you sounds awfully nice to me, Nick,” Coulson said, clearly thinking that Nick had fallen asleep. Coulson’s hand rested over his and Nick couldn’t stop himself from flipping his palm. Coulson tensed but he just linked their fingers together and drifted off.

In the morning they dressed and left the cabin, a very clear path laid out in front of them and a barely ten minute walk later they were at the perfectly fine car, signs for the road right there.

“Fucking magic bullshit,” Nick said. He turned and shook a fist at the trees. “I will come back and shoot you one day.”

“Just get in the car sir,” Coulson said and Nick drove them out to the highway. “Having a rest wasn’t so bad was it?”

“No,” Nick agreed. “Wasn’t so bad.” They were driving on the highway and he noticed a billboard. He pulled off two stops later and ignored the questions that Coulson was asking. He pulled into a plaza and went into the store going out of business. He came back out ten minutes later in a black leather trench coat. They drove back to the highway.

“It looks good, sir,” Coulson said after an hour.

“Someone I trust. Someone I -” Nick couldn’t finish the sentence. “This guy Phil, my favourite guy, said it would look good.”

Phil gave a faint smile, the one that meant he was happy smile, and didn’t say another word as they drove back towards base. They rested their hands on the middle console, just almost touching the whole drive.


End file.
